If you move to Germany to work, your first question is: how much does housing cost – and what is left after that? It depends on the city, the size of the flat and which costs are already included in the rent. Here you will find a clear overview with figures and sources.
As of October 2026. General information, not legal or tax advice. All prices are guide values; individual offers can differ a lot.
In short: in 2025, newly advertised flats cost about €11 per m² basic rent on the national average (BBSR), about €14 in large cities and under €9 in the countryside. On top of that come service charges of about €2.70 per m² on average (German Tenants’ Association), plus electricity, internet and the €18.36 monthly broadcasting fee. A room in a shared flat in university towns costs about €510 warm on average.
What housing costs are made up of
| Term | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Basic rent (Kaltmiete, Nettokaltmiete) | rent for the flat only | basis for comparing prices per m² |
| Service charges (Nebenkosten, Betriebskosten) | water, rubbish, cleaning of the building, property tax, usually heating | monthly advance payment, settled once a year |
| Warm rent (Warmmiete) | basic rent + service charges | the amount you transfer to the landlord |
| Electricity | household electricity | usually your own contract with a supplier |
| Internet | internet and phone | your own contract |
| Broadcasting fee (Rundfunkbeitrag) | fee for public broadcasting | €18.36 per month per home |
| Deposit (Kaution) | security for the landlord | at most three months’ basic rent |
Once a year you get the service charge statement (Nebenkostenabrechnung). If you used more than you paid in advance, you pay the difference; if you used less, you get money back.
What does a square metre cost? Germany at a glance
Current advertised rents are analysed by the Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development (BBSR). According to it, the average advertised rent for re-lets in 2025 was about €11.11 per m² net basic rent:
- large cities: about €14 per m²,
- sparsely populated rural districts: about €8.64 per m²,
- Munich: over €21 per m²; in some districts in Saxony and Thuringia under €6.
Important: these are prices for new rental contracts from ads. People who have lived in their flat for a long time pay much less on average. According to the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis, microcensus 2022), the average net basic rent of all tenancies was about €7.40 per m², and about €8.10 in big cities.
Service charges
According to the German Tenants’ Association’s service charge index (published in December 2025, for the year 2024), service charges were €2.67 per m² per month on average. Of this, €1.32 on average was for heating and hot water. If all types of costs apply (e.g. lift, gardening, caretaker), it can be up to €3.68 per m².
For 40 m², that is about €105–110 per month on average. The building, the type of heating and your own behaviour make a big difference: airing rooms properly and heating moderately saves a noticeable amount.
Electricity, internet and broadcasting fee
- Electricity: according to the BDEW electricity price analysis (autumn 2026), the average household electricity price in 2026 is about 37 cents per kWh. According to the Stromspiegel, a one-person household in a flat uses about 1,200 to 1,500 kWh per year if hot water is not heated with electricity – roughly €40 to €50 per month.
- Internet: the costs depend on the plan and speed. The minimum contract period may be at most 24 months; after that, you can cancel the contract with one month’s notice. Compare offers before you sign.
- Broadcasting fee: €18.36 per month per home (rundfunkbeitrag.de, as of October 2026). It applies per home, not per person. An increase from 2027 is being discussed, but nothing has been decided yet.
You usually register for electricity and internet yourself. The home is registered with the Beitragsservice (the fee collection office) if no flatmate is already paying. More on the first steps after arrival under Moving and registration.
Our regions: Göttingen, Hannover, Paderborn
There is no single official source with average prices for all three cities. That is why we only give confirmed figures:
- Hannover: according to the official 2025 rent index (Mietspiegel) of the state capital Hannover, the average local comparative rent is €8.73 per m² net basic rent (survey date 1 April 2025). This figure is for existing tenancies – new offers in ads are usually higher.
- Göttingen: as a university town, small flats are in high demand among students. One-room flats and rooms are therefore relatively expensive for a city of this size and are scarce before the start of the semester.
- Paderborn: the city has a qualified rent index for 2025 (valid from 1 April 2025). You can use it to check whether a rent matches the usual local level.
Rule of thumb: the smaller the place and the further from the centre, the cheaper. But remember to include the journey to work.
Example calculation: monthly budget for one person
A simplified example, not a calculation for a particular city or flat. Assumption: a one-room flat of 40 m² in a medium-sized town, €10 per m² basic rent.
| Item | Per month, approx. |
|---|---|
| Basic rent (40 m² × €10) | €400 |
| Service charges incl. heating (40 m² × €2.67) | ~€107 |
| Electricity (~1,300 kWh per year) | ~€45 |
| Internet (example) | ~€35 |
| Broadcasting fee | €18.36 |
| Total housing | ~€605 |
On top of that come food, travel costs, phone and personal expenses. How much of your pay is left depends on your net pay – and that depends on your tax class. More under Gross and net.
Also think about one-off costs when you move in: the deposit (at most three months’ basic rent, payable in three instalments) and possibly furniture or a kitchen if the flat is rented unfurnished.
Housing benefit: help with the rent
Housing benefit (Wohngeld) is a state subsidy towards the rent for low-income households. It does not have to be paid back. Most recently, it rose by about 15% on average on 1 January 2025 (Federal Ministry for Housing, BMWSB). What happens in 2027 is currently being discussed politically.
Whether you get housing benefit, and how much, depends on:
- the number of people in the household,
- the total income,
- the amount of the rent,
- the rent level of the place where you live.
The BMWSB housing benefit calculator gives a first estimate. You apply at the housing benefit office (Wohngeldstelle) of your city or municipality. People who receive citizen’s income (Bürgergeld) usually do not get extra housing benefit, because housing costs are already covered there.
A room in a shared flat as a cheaper alternative
In a shared flat (WG, Wohngemeinschaft), everyone has their own room, and the kitchen and bathroom are shared. Advantages:
- lower costs: service charges, internet and the broadcasting fee are shared,
- rooms are often already furnished,
- easier to get, even without a long rental history in Germany.
According to the Moses Mendelssohn Institute, a room in a shared flat in university towns cost about €510 warm per month on average in the winter semester 2026/27 – about €850 in Munich and about €650 in Berlin and Hamburg. In smaller towns it is usually cheaper.
Beware of fraud: do not transfer money for a room you have not seen, and never without a contract.
Housing when you work through us
If you work through us, you do not have to start looking for a flat yourself straight away: if needed, accommodation can be provided near your place of work – more under Accommodation. The conditions depend on the city and available places and are discussed personally. We also help with moving and address registration (Anmeldung).
We are looking for warehouse workers, forklift drivers and production helpers (m/f/d) in Göttingen, Hannover and Paderborn – from €15.33 per hour gross, and as a forklift driver from €16.08 per hour gross. It is free of charge for applicants. Take a look at the jobs or fill in the application form.
